Lovebirds
by Enjoyseries
Summary: A collection of one-sentence ficlets, based on unrelated prompts. This is a journey through Neil and Audrey's relationship.
1. You didn't need to do all of this

**"You didn't need to do all of this."**

When Neil arrived at the hospital this morning, he expected to find Audrey in her office. Their relationship was still very new and they were still keeping it on low radar. They couldn't arrive and leave together, nor could they be too demonstrative towards each other in public and this was driving Neil completely nuts. They had chosen to keep their relationship secret by mutual agreement, but not being able to show the world how much he loved her was getting more and more frustrating. He made it a habit to arrive a little earlier in the morning when they were sharing their shift and bring her favorite hot hazelnut latte macchiato. She would have offered him her best smile, the one she was keeping just for him and they would have shared knowing glances, full of love. He was looking forward to these little moments, especially when they hadn't had the opportunity to see each other outside of work for a few days. So he was disappointed to find her office empty, and even more surprised to hear she had called in sick for the day. Audrey Lim was never sick. But after the events of the quarantine, her immune system had weakened making her even more vulnerable.

He had started his shift as usual, trying to not seem too worried about Dr. Lim's absence. He had texted her to know if she was okay, but hadn't got any answers since then. As the hours went by, the more worry he got and he was starting pacing up and down like a caged lion. He had managed to hide it from his team the rest of the morning, and he was sure no one had any doubts – despite Murphy, maybe. But as long as the boy genius wasn't letting hints get away, Neil would keep playing it cool.

When the lunch break finally arrived, it sounded like deliverance to him. He was on call for the rest of the day, and had briefed his residents on the tasks left to do and the patients that needed to be monitored for the afternoon. They only had a few hours left and he was sure everything would be fine for them. He had – of course – told them he was still reachable by phone even if he had hoped they wouldn't do so.

An hour later, he parked in the driveway of Audrey's house, next to her Ducati. She absolutely had no idea he was coming and he was hoping she wouldn't be mad at him for showing up unannounced. He came out of his Tesla, a small bag in his hand and climbed the few steps before reaching the front door. He rang and waited a few minutes before Audrey came at the door. She froze when she came face to face with Neil. It took her a few seconds to realize he was really standing at her threshold, probably because of the lack of sleep and her clouded mind.

"Hey, you." Neil broke a smile.

"Neil! What are you doing here?" She finally said. Her words didn't sound like a reproach, but more like a pleasant surprise.

"I heard you called in sick this morning. I wanted to check on you and see how you were doing."

"Well, as you can tell, I'm in great shape." She rolled her eyes. She was looking pale, with bags under her eyes, her hair tied up in a messy bun and was wrapped up in a blanket. She looked miserable, and he felt bad for her.

"I brought chicken soup," he brandished the bag in his hand and leaned forward, before whispering "and macaroons."

She tilted her head with a cute pout, and softly smiled at him. "Thank you." She stepped aside to let him in. As he walked past her, she resisted the urge to grab him right there and snuggle in his arms. She had never been the kind of woman to appreciate signs of affection, nor to be the most tactile in a relationship but with Neil, everything was different. She had never felt this way before, and as time was getting by, she was feeling the need to touch him, kiss him, to feel his presence even more. But she wasn't used to this entire emotional outburst towards a man and she often slowed down her own enthusiasm. She was still learning how to let go with him. She followed him in the living room as he stopped his track to turn towards her.

"I hope you don't mind that I came by. I tried to text you, but you didn't answer so-"

"No, it's fine." She cut him off. "I forgot my phone upstairs and didn't have the strength to go get it." She flopped down on the couch, with a heavy sigh. Neil was following her close behind, and he put his hand against her forehead. Her skin was burning and from the look on her face, he was pretty sure she had a fever.

"Have you seen a doctor?" She glared up at him.

"Neil, _I am_ a doctor." He snorted at her remark.

"Well, it doesn't hurt anyone to see a doctor. Not even for us."

She didn't answer and lied down against the cushion. Neil grabbed the blanket at the edge of the couch and laid it on her.

"I hate this time of the year." She mumbled as a shiver went through her spine. "Everyone rushes to the E.R. for the stupid flu and now I'm infected by their stupid microbes!"

"Well, you know what they say: the risks of the job." He joked and cracked a smile. "Stay right here, I'll warm up your soup."

"I'm not going anywhere." She mumbled again, with her eyes closed as she snuggled up in the blankets.

Neil would have never admitted it out loud – for the sake of his own life – but he found Audrey particularly adorable when she was sick. Of course, he didn't like to see her suffering, but she was cute being the grumpy one. He had taken his time to clear his things and get comfortable while the soup was warming up in the microwave. A few moments later, he came back to the living room with a bowl of soup and a glass of water. Audrey had fallen asleep on the couch, and he couldn't help but smile. He put the soup and the glass down on the coffee table and squatted down at her height. He watched her sleep peacefully for a moment. She was so beautiful, even with the flu, she was still irresistible. Every time he was thinking about her, or looking at her, his heart was swelling with love. He felt like a teenager again with the butterflies spinning in his belly. She was making him feel things he had stopped believing in a long time ago. When Jessica broke up with him, he saw his world collapse. He had seen his future darken and his dreams of starting a family shatter. It was still too early to think about that at the stage of their relationship, but deep down, when he was looking deep into her eyes, he knew that life would still hold many beautiful things for them. He couldn't picture his life without her anymore, and sometimes this intense love even frightened him. Was it possible to love someone so much without coming out unscathed?

He sighed, and tried to ignore his thoughts as he tenderly brushed some hair out of her face. He leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead, still stroking the top of her head.

"Audrey." He whispered. He didn't want to wake her, but he knew she had to eat something before she could take any pills. He waited a few seconds, but she didn't move an inch.

"Baby..." He whispered again, trying to take her out of her sleep. "Your soup's gonna get cold." She frowned slightly and groaned. She blindly raised her hand to his face and grope around to find his mouth. She put a finger on his lips to shush him, and it made him chuckle as he tried to hold back a laugh.

The next second, her hand fell heavily as she was completely exhausted and Neil quickly gave in to the idea of trying to make her swallow anything. There was no way he was taking her out of her sleep and he knew she would be too stubborn to take medication right now anyway. He was about to stand up and let her sleep when he saw her shivering again despite the two thin blankets. Without thinking twice, he straightened up and put one arm under her and the other under her legs. He easily lifted her and huddled her in the palm of his arms. As he walked with her towards the stairs, he felt her snuggle even more against him. She wrapped her arm around his neck instinctively and he could feel her breath against his skin.

"Did you really call me _'baby'_?" She mumbled.

"Nah, 'must have been a dream." He teased her, not even hiding his smirk. Even though he couldn't see her face, he knew she was smiling too in the crook of his neck. She was no longer really sleeping, but didn't have the strength to move or even open her eyes. She simply let herself be carried by Neil, and savored the feeling of being in his arms.

Slowly, he reached the bedroom and gently laid her down on the mattress. She felt another shiver through her spine as her head hit the coldness of the pillow. He covered her with the bed sheets and tucked her in like a child. She frowned and carelessly hid the top of her face with her left hand. She had been suffering from a terrible headache since this morning and no medication had worked ever since. Neil guessed that daylight wasn't helping her soothe the pain and he rushed to the window to pull the curtains, plunging the room into darkness. He didn't care if they were in the middle of the afternoon, he walked around the bed and took off his shoes. He slipped under the sheets and came snuggling against her body. Audrey felt his arm wrapping her from behind, as he pulled her back against his tone chest. His warmth helped her soothe her shivers and it felt good.

"_**You didn't need to do all of this.**_" She softly said, thanking him in her own way.

"I know." Neil stroked the back of her neck with the tip of his nose, and dropped a chaste kiss against her skin. "I'm just taking care of you because that's what a good boyfriend does. And I'm a _really_ good boyfriend." He teased her, and he felt her softly laugh in his arms.

"Smartass…" She smirked, intertwining her fingers with his own and nestled even closer in his embrace.


	2. Could you help me find my shirt

_Thank you for all your kind reviews! I'm so glad you enjoy reading my work. Here's another one!_

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**"Could you help me find my shirt?" – "You know, as much as I want to… I don't want to."**

That morning, Audrey had been painfully dragged out of her sleep by the awful buzzing of the alarm. She moaned instantly in disapproval, and started fumbling on the nightstand for her phone. Once the alarm had been switched off, she turned around in the bed and nestled her face even deeper in the pillow. She'd never really been a morning person, let alone when the night had been particularly short and hectic. A few seconds later, she grudgingly surfaced and stretched out like a cat. Her forearm hit an unpredicted obstacle and she slightly frowned. She was shortly confused as she quickly remembered the events of last night when she opened her eyes to find a sleepy and handsome man lying back to her. She smiled immediately, and stroked the back of his skull with her fingertips, before stepping out of the bed. She had to force herself not to sneak her arms around his torso and snuggle up against his warm body. Even though she wanted to make their night last longer, she knew her work obligations were even more priority.

It'd been forever since Audrey and Neil had spent an evening together. Their schedules were overloaded with all the work due to her new position as chief of surgery and his crazy amount of patients. Audrey had been quite tense lately as she was struggling dealing with the stress of her promotion and the direct consequences her relationship with Neil could have on her work. It'd been a lot of changes in a short period of time and sometimes it was getting a bit too overwhelming for her. That's why she'd been looking forward to that free-work evening. Being with Neil at the hospital, and at a more intimate place were two completely different things. She had missed being alone with him.

They didn't want anything too fancy, so Audrey had grabbed some Chinese food on the way home to Neil's. They had spent the evening eating around the coffee table, chatting over nothing and everything while randomly picking at the food in the boxes. Once everything was cleaned up, they settled comfortably on the couch, in each other's arms and switched the TV on. Neil channel-hopped for a long time before finding a program they both wanted to watch. They watched it for a few moments before they easily lost interest in the show as neither he nor she could keep their hands to themselves. Things quickly heated up and they found themselves kissing and humping like teenagers on the couch. Not that it'd been that long since the last time, but whenever they were in the same room it was like they were two magnets attracting to one another. The rest of the night had been just as hectic and had ended upstairs under the sheets, as they explored each other bodies until the early morning.

After showering, Audrey had wandered downstairs in search of her clothes that had been scattered all around the house during their lovemaking session last night. After what seemed like an eternity of turning the whole house upside down, she managed to find most of her outfit but there was still one thing she couldn't put her finger on and she was starting to lose her nerves. As she went back upstairs, she couldn't help but grumbling over the fact that mornings would be a lot easier if she had spare clothes at his house. She had been spending most of her time here since it was easier for everyone. They had never really discussed it, things had been done naturally and they seemed both okay with this. Though they probably would need to have a talk soon about whether they were ready for bringing some personal stuff in each other's house.

When she entered the bedroom again, Neil had just woken up and was lying against the headboard.

"Morning." He smiled at her, still emerging.

"Have you seen my shirt?" She replied without really paying attention to him. Neil frowned half-amused and tilted his head.

"Good morning to you, too." He joked, "No, I haven't." He grinned as he was observing her rummaging through the room. He couldn't get why she seemed so in a rush as her shift was starting in only two hours. He heard her curse under her breath as she knelt to look under the bed – even though she highly doubted she would find anything there.

Neil had woken up in a teasing mood and he was amused to see her sulking about something so futile. The situation was even funnier as she didn't seem to be aware she'd been wandering around the house in her underwear ever since. As she straightened up, he propped on his elbows to have a better look. She immediately felt his insistent gaze and she turned around to catch him checking her. When he crossed her eyes, he grinned like a fool and she glared at him.

"_**Could you help me find my shirt?**_"

"_**You know, as much as I want to…**_" He exaggeratedly let his eyes wander again along her sexy curves, before looking up straight into her eyes. **"**_**I don't want to**_**."**

She grabbed the first thing that came to her hand, which was his t-shirt carelessly lying on the edge of the bed and threw it in his face.

"Asshat." She hissed, with a half-amused smile. Neil laughed out loud as he ducked out just in time and caught the t-shirt before it hit its target.

"Seriously, Neil. I need my shirt so I can get home and grab some spare clothes before my shift starts…" She looked over her watch. "Which lets me abou-" She suddenly yelped as she felt two strong arms encircling her waist from behind. She had been so focused at rambling about her missing shirt that she didn't even see him leaning forward and crawling like a predator to the edge of the bed. In a quick and bold move, he had grabbed her and lifted her before gently smashing her down on the mattress. This time, she hadn't been able to contain her laugh and it sounded like a melody to his ears. Neil straddled her and grabbed her wrists in his hands to pin them down on the bed above her head. Her hair messily spread out on the mattress, she was breathing heavily – still trying to catch her breath – and her chest rose up with each inspiration, making her even more attractive. She licked her lower lip unconsciously due to her growing desire as her eyes were locked in his. He was staring so deeply she felt a shiver running through her spine. She could see his pupils dilated as he leaned down slowly to her face with a smirk. He stopped at a few inches from her lips. He was so close she could feel his hot breath on her skin. He teased her until the very last moment and waited a few more seconds before he finally kissed her soundly. She had never been used to be the passive one in any of her previous relationships. Neil had taught her to let go and let herself be guided in bed, which she surprisingly found it rather exciting.

"I have to go home." She managed to say between kisses.

"You're the chief, you can go to work later." He lowered his head to nestle his face in the crook of her neck and kissed the spot below her ear. She chuckled at his words while he started nibbling along her jawline, dropping some light kisses here and there.

"But not in my underwear."

"I wouldn't complain." He pulled his head back and looked up. He grinned at her, and offered her his own special smile. She rolled her eyes at him, fainting to be annoyed but her growing grin betrayed her.

He let go of his grip as his hands slipped along her arms, stroking her smooth skin. He was moving backwards as his hands were lowering on her sides. Once they landed on her hips, he bent down and started dropping light kisses on her tone stomach, tracing an invisible line to her lower abdomen. He was taking his time, because he knew how much it could drive her completely crazy sometimes. She had gripped the sheets in her firsts in anticipation as he was getting lower and lower, and seeing her muscles abdomen contracting with desire, Neil could proudly tell it was working.

"Neil," She breathed out his name, eyes closed. "I really need to find my shirt." This didn't even sound convincing anymore.

"Forget about the shirt." He smirked at her, even though she couldn't see him. "I have other plans." And out of a sudden, he ripped her panties off.

"Neil!"


	3. I can't do this anymore

_What a real pleasure it is to read all your kind words! You all give me the will to write and post regularly knowing some kind people are waiting for it. Thank you so much! I've been inspired by the last episode to write this prompt. I hope you'll like it!_

_Someone asked in the comment if I was accepting prompts from readers. Of course, I would gladly take prompts from all of you! So don't hesitate to send them in the comments. One last thing… I'm sure you've probably already noticed some mistakes here and there. English isn't my mother tongue so I apologize in advance! I'm doing my best to improve my skills. _

_Now, less talking and more reading! Enjoy :)_

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**"I can't do this anymore."**

When Neil put the key into the lock and opened the door, night had fallen a long time ago and had given way to complete darkness in the streets. It'd been a quite difficult and tiring day, both physically and mentally. He'd spent the day trying to forget the last twenty-four hours. But no matter where he was, or what he was doing, everything reminded him of his last patient. He lied to everyone, pretending he was fine. He had almost convinced himself. He had lost his arrogance and self-confidence, and had let fear and doubt taking over his mind instead. He had been pondering and torturing himself with a whole bunch of "what ifs" and he had finally lost it. Not only was he carrying the heavy guilt of his patient's death, but also the guilt of the words he said to Audrey.

He had blamed himself the very second he said those words, but it was already too late. It was the sadness and bitterness that had spoken and when he saw all the pain in Audrey's eyes, he knew he had messed up and it broke his heart into a thousand pieces. He was caught in a deep spiral of feelings and it had prevented him from thinking and acting properly. He was in pain, so he had to find someone to blame. He couldn't carry the guilt on his shoulders alone, it was too hard.

When he entered the house, everything was plunged in the dark except the few spotlights in the kitchen. He knew Audrey was there because her car was parked out front. It was quite unusual for her to do so, as she almost always rode her Ducati around but he didn't really raise the detail which seemed so insignificant in that moment. As everything suggested there was no one on the main floor, Neil decided to go upstairs. Maybe she was relaxing in a bathtub, or already in bed. In any case, he had no idea he was going to find her in the bedroom, standing in front of the opened walk-in closet.

"What are you doing?" He stepped in, as she was putting the few things she had brought at his house in a bag. Audrey froze for a second, and closed her eyes at the sound of his voice. She hadn't planned anything and hadn't thought about what to say. She hadn't wanted to do it behind his back, even though deep down she had wished she would have already been gone before he had come home. This complicated everything even more. She sighed and turned to face him.

Neil looked completely lost, and her heart shrank at the thought of what she was about to do. Her throat tightened and her heart rate quickened.

"_**I can't do this anymore.**_" Her voice cracked.

"What are you talking about?" Neil frowned.

"I-I thought we would be okay. But, this isn't working, Neil." She shook her head. "We can't keep doing this if you doubt every decision I make about you and your patients."

Here they were.

"Audrey…" He sighed. She didn't listen to him and kept talking.

"I can't keep doing this with you not believing I'm capable of separating my relationship from my job. How can we work this out if you don't trust me?!"

"Look, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't mean that, I'm sorry."

She shook her head, and turned her back to keep packing her stuff. She could feel the anger rising and she only wanted to leave this place before she might say things she didn't mean.

"Please, let's talk about it." Neil said softly, as he stepped closer to her.

"We've already talked, Neil!" She abruptly turned towards him, almost yelling. "This doesn't change anything." She paused, and lowered her head. "You can't take your words back."

He heard the bitterness in the sound of her voice as she said those last words. Deep down, she could hardly believe he had meant every word he said. But despite all the best world's efforts, he had hurt her deeply and this argument had been the straw that broke the camel's back.

"I know, and I'm sorry. This wasn't fair. I acted like a jerk." He didn't know what else to say. He would have liked to take her in his arms, tell her how sorry he was, kiss her and tell her how much he loved her. But the pain, the grief, the bitterness and the anger, it all kept it him from doing so. He thought he would have lost it as she closed the zipper of the bag. He needed her, she couldn't leave. Not now.

As she turned around with the bag in hand and made her way out, he took a step forward to stop her.

"Audrey, please don't do this." He begged her not to go. They were both miserable, looking in each other's tearing eyes. "I love you." He let out a shaky breath. Audrey closed her eyes, trying not to break in front of him. She swallowed the knot that had formed in her throat and held her head up before looking him straight in the eyes again. She was about to do the only thing she was good at in these moments: shut herself down and pushing everyone away. Her protective instinct had regained the upper hand, and she needed to take some distance to preserve herself.

"I'm sorry." She breathed out, before walking past him. Neither he nor she looked back. Neil didn't move at all and stood in the middle of the room, letting her go without a word. He was clenching his jaw, trying to hold back his sobs. God, it hurt so much. Audrey walked downstairs with a heavy heart, and the more she was getting closer to the door, the more she felt at the edge of breaking down. She put her hand on the handle, and stopped for a moment. Was she really making the right thing?

With one last glance at the stairs, she opened the door and walked away, tears finally running down her face.


	4. I think I just saw her at the cafeteria

_Hello Limlendez fellows! Here's my take on an anonymous prompt I received in the comment. Let me know what you think of it! Enjoy ;)_

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**"I think I just saw her at the cafeteria."**

Audrey was already sitting at a table in the cafeteria of St. Bonaventure hospital, a coffee in hand. She was scrolling randomly through her phone, waiting for Neil to arrive with his order. At this time of the afternoon, there was almost no one wandering around. This was what could be called an off-peak hour, when peace was reigning more or less in the hospital. After spending a large part of their shift working together on a quite difficult case, they had decided to stop at the cafeteria for a well-deserved break. They still had 7 hours to go, and the lack of caffeine was getting more and more acute.

After a few minutes, she spotted Neil in her field of vision. When she noticed the strange look on his face, she frowned slightly and put down her phone.

"Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost." She slightly teased him, as he sat down in front of her. It took him a few seconds to answer, as he seemed a bit confused.

"_**I think I just saw her at the cafeteria.**_" He said, a bit shaken.

"_**Who?**_" She asked, before taking a sip of her cup.

"_**Jessica.**_"

Audrey was caught off guard as the coffee almost went down the wrong way. She hadn't expected this answer at all, and raised her eyebrows in surprise.

"Oh." She looked at his face carefully, not sure if this was a good thing or not. "Is that a problem?"

Neil seemed to think for a moment. "Is it?" He looked at her the same way, returning the question.

"She's your ex, not mine." Audrey shrugged.

"It's just… I haven't talked to her since we broke up."

"You think she doesn't know about us?"

"Well," Neil looked around them. "I'm pretty sure the entire hospital knows about us now. She might have heard it at some point, I guess." Audrey nodded, looking down at the coffee she was holding between both of her hands. They both stayed silent for a moment, before Lim looked up at him. He noticed the shift and recognized the silly glimpse growing in the corner of her eyes.

"Do you want me to switch two rows behind? We never know. Maybe she'll get too suspicious if we're sitting at the same table." She said in an exaggerated mocking tone.

"Ha ha, that's very funny." He kept a serious face, even though he was amused by her reaction. She always loved teasing him in all the possible ways, even back then during their residency.

"I know." She proudly smiled. Her eyes caught the sight of the blonde woman from above his left shoulder. Her amused face disappeared right away as she hid behind her cup of coffee.

"Don't look back, she's coming this way." She mumbled at Neil, before taking a sip of her drink. Neil didn't have the time to get what she said, that Jessica stopped right at their table. He suddenly felt the panic invading his body as he threw a look at Audrey.

"Neil, Audrey. It's been a while." The woman politely smiled at them.

"Jessica, what are you doing here?" He asked abruptly, but as soon as he realized what he said, he felt completely stupid.

"Well, I mostly work here so…" Jessica frowned a bit, looking both at him and Lim. She didn't know if he was just joking or being serious out of a sudden.

"Um, yes. Of course." He said, embarrassed. Audrey looked at him weirdly from the corner of her eyes. He seemed to be tensed in front of her. She didn't say anything but still, she couldn't help but wondering why he was acting so strangely. The conversation ran flat and they all found themselves looking at each other like idiots, desperately waiting for someone to make a move. Audrey suddenly felt _de trop_, and she knew that Neil and Jessica had some serious things to talk about. Although it was heartbreaking to admit it, they probably needed a moment just the two of them to – she hoped – perhaps definitively bring their history to a close.

"Well, I have some paperwork to do. You know... chief responsibilities and all these stuff." She fainted to be all cheery about that and stood up from her chair, gathering her phone and coffee. She looked at Jessica and offered her a smile – just enough to be polite – to which the blonde woman replied with a similar one. She then looked briefly at Neil.

"See you later." She told him with a faint smile and Neil slightly nodded to her, before she headed to her office. They didn't need to exchange more words to make him understand what she had just done. He knew why she had preferred to leave. She wasn't mad at him, she had simply felt it was the right time for her to withdraw and he appreciated the gesture.

"May I?" Jessica snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Sure." He nodded, showing her the now-free chair. She sighed as she sat, putting her purse on her laps and leaned against the back of the chair.

"How have you been?" She simply asked.

"Well, I'm fine." He shrugged. He didn't know what else to say and didn't want to tell her how'd been the last months of his life either. Jessica could still feel some bitterness through his attitude and it saddened her.

"I'm sorry I didn't call."

"You left, Jessica. Why would you have called for anyway?" He frowned. His words were harsh. They'd split a year ago now, and she had never given any sign of life since then. It'd been a hard blow for him when she had told him she wanted to break up, but he had accepted her decision even though it'd been one of the worst things he had ever done in his life.

"I know. But despite what happened between us, I still care about you. I-" She sighed, "never mind." She quickly smiled, but he could see the hurt on her face and he immediately felt guilty. _No wonder why it didn't work out in the first place,_ Jessica thought.

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to sound rude."

"It's okay, I deserved it." She shrugged, accepting the punishment without flinching.

"How about you?" Neil quickly changed the subject as he didn't want this conversation to turn out more awkward than it already was.

"Well," she inhaled deeply, "there's nothing interesting to say." She almost sounded disappointed.

"That's quite surprising coming from you." He chuckled slightly, but it didn't even make her smile.

"Actually, there's something I've been meaning to tell you." He frowned slightly, and she took it as a sign to keep going. "I'm leaving the town at the end of the week."

"For a business trip, I suppose?" Neil wasn't quite sure to understand.

"No, I'm leaving for good." She sighed. "San Jose has nothing more to offer me. I've done my time in this hospital, Neil. I've nothing left to look forward to here." She sadly smiled at him. She could always feel some kind of homesickness of their past relationship. She had regretted breaking up with him, painfully. But Neil had been clear with her right away and had never intended to get back with her.

"Where are you going, then?"

"New-York. The Presbyterian hospital offered me the position of President of their risk management department. And I said yes."

"Woah, that's-" Neil was taken aback from the news. "That's great!"

"Yes, it is." She widely smiled, quite thrilled about the new upcoming adventure. They looked at each other quietly, before she spoke again to ask something she had been dying to know.

"So… you and Lim, uh?" She grinned.

Neil had dread this moment since he'd spotted her in the cafeteria. He knew she was the kind to put her feet in it, and she wasn't ashamed to talk about subjects that might make others uncomfortable.

"Well, yes. I-We've just... you know." He didn't know how to approach the subject. He was actually very reserved about his private life and feelings, but it was even worse when it came to talk about his current relationship with his ex-fiancée!

"You don't have to say anything, Neil. That's fine." She sincerely smiled at him. "Actually, I've always felt there was something between you two."

"Jessica, when I was with you I've always been honest and faithful. I-" When she realized the impact her words had on him, she quickly cut him off.

"Oh no, I know!" She reassured him. "That's not what I meant. But, you can't deny there's always been something special about her."

Neil couldn't help but smile. Jessica wasn't completely wrong. The first time he saw her during the second year of their residency, he knew right away that she was different from the others, that she had something extra. But he had always remained in the background, and he had never really bothered to get to know her. At the time, he was far too arrogant and competitive to see her as anything more than an opponent. Then life had decided otherwise as they had both taken different paths in their personal lives. He had met Jessica, and she had gotten married. It was only over the years that he had learned to really appreciate Audrey, and finally fall in love with her.

"I mean, she's one of a kind."

Neil chuckled, "That's for sure."

"Are you happy, Neil?" She finally asked. He took a few moments to think about it. These weren't the kind of questions that could be easily answered and he preferred to take his time, even if the answer was already clear for him.

"Yes, I am." A smile then slowly appeared on the corner of his lips. "She makes me the happiest man in the world." He shyly admitted.

"That's good." She smiled, then grabbed his hand with hers and squeezed it lightly. "I'm glad for you, both of you."

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At the end of the day, Audrey was packing her stuff in her bag when Neil entered her office.

"Hey." He gave her a smile so ravaging that she couldn't do without smiling back at him.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't pretend that everything was fine. It's not like they had met Neil's ex-fiancé and that she had left them both alone. She trusted Neil, that wasn't the problem but she couldn't silence that tiny little voice in her head that was making her doubt about everything. Neil had noticed her slight unconvincing smile, but he had preferred ignoring it and walked towards her instead. She tensed when she felt his hands on her hips, but she quickly relaxed as she sighed and turned in his arms to face him. Neil was still looking at her with that naive look on his face and it was almost frustrating. Had he forgotten what'd happened earlier in the day?

Without a word, he brought his face closer to hers and put his right hand on the back of her neck, his fingers intertwined in her long dark hair. She didn't have the time to react that his lips crashed against hers in a passionate and loving smooch. He was carefully worshipping her mouth as she kissed him back instantly. Like almost every time they kissed, everything disappeared right away around them. They'd forgotten where they were, and didn't seem to mind if someone walk into the office and see them. Their relationship was no longer really a secret to anyone, but they were never showing any affectionate attentions in front of others though.

After a while, Neil slowly pulled back. Audrey opened her eyes to look straight into his.

"What was that for?" She frowned, smirking.

"Just letting you know how much I love you." He shrugged. Audrey swore she could have melted right here and even wondered if it was possible to fall even more in love with him. "You're the best thing that happened to me in a long time, you know that right?"

"Careful, people might think you're getting all sentimental." She teased him.

"Well, for you I am." He squeezed her in his arms and pulled her even closer against his tone chest. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and gently pecked him on the lips.

"I love you, too." She smiled at him.

"Let's go home." Neil pulled back and released his grip, grabbing her hand along the way. Suddenly, all Audrey's doubts had vanished as they both headed to the door, clinging to each other.


	5. Chapter 5

_So, I have to admit this one is for me… Who hadn't dreamed of seeing Melendez standing up for her girl, uh? Well, I did! And I wrote it down *proud grin*. To be honest, I needed to write something light after the last episode… IT'S NOT THE END OF LIMLENDEZ! _

_Don't forget to let a review! It's always a pleasure to read you._

**_WARNING FOR BAD LANGUAGE!_**

* * *

**"Grab my ass one more time and see what happens!"**

There were a lot of people in the bar. It was Friday night, and it seemed that everyone in town had decided going out to celebrate the end of the week. The crowd was so dense in some places that Audrey had to sneak between people, holding the full glasses over her head to avoid the drinks to be bumped by some kind of clumsy strangers. If there was one thing she hated in bars, it was getting beer spilled on her clothes because people couldn't watch out.

She and Neil had been able to find a high table somewhere in the corner of the bar – which was more like a miracle given the amount of clients – and had been talking about everything and nothing for a few hours now. It'd been his idea to chill out and have a drink after the quite exhausting week they both had. Audrey – who was always up for some fun – hadn't refused and they headed together at the closest bar right after their shift. They were having a great night from now on, and had managed to forget all the pressure of being the best surgeons of the country. It'd been a long time since it was just the two of them, laughing and talking without arguing, and it felt really good just being able to enjoy themselves on a quiet and fun evening.

After their fourth drink, Audrey asked Neil if he wanted a nightcap before going home. He declined her offer and settled for what was left of his beer. She then decided she would have one last drink on her own, and pecked him on the lips before heading to the bar to get another drink. There were a little fewer people than when they had arrived earlier, but there were still two women in front of her, waiting in line at the bar for their drinks. She stood still behind them, when suddenly she felt slightly pushed by a guy from behind. She instinctively turned around to look at the man and he immediately apologized, though she didn't really hear what he said due to the loud music. The guy looked a little younger than her, and his arrogance was showing on his face. She was sure he was the kind of man who was convinced that he could put all the girls in his bed with a simple grin. She found that kind of guy quite pathetic to be honest. Besides, he strongly smelled alcohol and cigarettes. As it was usual to be jostled by accident in crowded places, so she didn't say anything and turn around to wait her turn. As the first woman left the counter with her drink in hand, she took a step forward. After a few minutes, she was pushed again, but this time it was much more subtle and she felt some kind of intentional pressure on her thigh. She looked over her shoulder and glanced at the guy.

"Seriously?!" She snapped at him, frowning.

"Sorry, not my fault." The guy showed the group of people gathered behind him and used a violent push as an excuse. Audrey threw him a murderous look but still, didn't say anything else. She didn't want to start any fuss, but his behavior was seriously starting to annoy her.

"You're really beautiful." He raised his voice, bringing his mouth closer to her ear so she could hear him through the noise. She rolled her eyes and decided to ignore him as it was her turn to place her order. She walked up to the bar and asked the bartender for another glass of bourbon. She was getting impatient, wishing she could get rid of that dumb lump guy and go back to her table. She thought he had dropped it, until she stiffened when she felt him approaching again this time on her right side, much too close to her taste.

"Can I buy you a drink?" He asked. She sighed, and turned her head towards him.

"No, thank you." She faked a brief smile before looking straight ahead again.

"Why not?"

"I said no, that should be enough for you as an answer." She thought if she replied harshily to him he would have eventually leave it there, but the guy didn't seem to want to give up on his prey any time soon. Instead, he chuckled at her words.

"Come on, I'm sure we could get along _real _fine." He grinned, putting his left hand on the back of her butt. Her blood boiled immediately and she pushed his arm away violently.

"_**Grab my ass one more time and see what happens!**_" She snapped at him, pointing her finger at his chest as a warning.

"Oh, come on! Don't be such a prude." He grinned, eyeing her up from head to toes. "It doesn't suit you." He took a step forward, bringing his hand to her body again.

"Hey!" A manly voice shouted from nowhere as someone grabbed the man's wrist firmly and stopped him from touching her. "Haven't you heard what she just said?"

"Neil! Drop it, I can handle him." She couldn't believe that he had totally jumped to her rescue and put himself between her and the douchebag. She certainly didn't need anyone to save her.

"Yeah, _Neil_. Drop it!" The guy said, freeing himself from the strong grip of Melendez. "Be a good pup, let the lady and I have some fun."

"It's not gonna happen. Now you back off and leave her alone!" Neil spoke calmly, but his voice sounded harsh and rough. He wasn't absolutely in the mood for jokes, not when it came to Audrey.

"Or what, uh?" He started to get agitated. The people around them had moved aside and were looking at them from the corner of their eyes. No one wanted to be involved in a possible fight in a bar, but curiosity was far too strong not to listen halfway to what was happening.

"What are you gonna do?" The man approached Neil and pushed him back. Neil lowered his head to where he had put his hands on his chest, then looked up at him. He tightened his jaw, trying to keep his cool but Audrey knew by the look on his face that the story would quickly worsen if the man kept playing with him.

"Neil, let's go." She grabbed him by the arm and tried to pull him away, but the guy went on further. He turned towards her this time and started insulting her.

"You like that, uh? Strutting in front of us and treating us like shit, you fucking slut!" That was enough for Neil, as he lost his temper. The next second, his fist came crashing hard against the guy's face making him fall on the ground.

* * *

"That was stupid." Audrey told him.

After the little incident at the bar, the guy – who was too drunk and stunned by the hit to get back up – had been picked up by a few people and put in a corner, away from the crowd. Audrey and Neil had then decided to call it a night and go home, especially since his hand was in pitiful state. During the whole ride, neither of them had said a word. and as soon as they entered the house, Neil sat at a barstool in the kitchen while Audrey started to clean his wounded knuckles.

"He deserved it." He simply said, looking at his hand.

"Can you move your fingers?" She asked him. He waved his fingers and clenched his fist to see if there were any signs of intern injuries.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"You could have hurt yourself badly. Jesus, Neil! Do I have to remind you that these are your only way of making a living?" She started yelling at him for being so stupid to even risk injuring his hand.

"That was worth it! No one touches my girl, okay?"

"Oh my god," she rolled her eyes. "Men and their oversized ego." She mumbled under her breath.

"What did you want me to do?" He started yelling too. "Let him put his dirty hands on you like he owns you and treat you like a vulgar piece of meat?"

"I told you I was handling him!" She answered.

"Yeah, and what would you have done anyway?" He knew that if he hadn't interfered, Audrey would certainly have hit him herself. He found it rather cheeky of her to lecture him when she was about to jump down his throat when he stepped between them.

"Walk off and enjoy the rest of the evening with you, smartass." She snapped at him, making him shrug.

"Era un pendejo en cualquier caso..." Neil mumbled some words in Spanish. They fell silent again, as Audrey was bandaging his hand. He wouldn't need stitches, but she had preferred to put on a bandage to prevent the cuts from infections.

As she was putting the first aid kit aside on the counter, she couldn't help but think back of the situation.

"But, I have to admit that was pretty hot when you punched him in the face." Neil looked up, a bit surprised of what she said and saw the smile growing on her face.

"Is that your way of thanking me for saving your life?" He teased her, looking at her with a proud grin.

"Don't push it, Neil." Audrey rolled her eyes again at his silliness.

"Come here." He murmured, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her against him. She stood between his legs and wrapped one of her arms around his neck. She leaned down, bringing her face closer to his and grabbed his chin gently between her fingers. They looked at each other lovingly for a few moments. Even if she would never admit it, she appreciated the fact Neil stood up for her. Sure, she would have knocked the guy out without a doubt. If it had been another man, maybe she would have even dumped him right away. But with Neil, on second thought, she found it quite sexy.

His hands sliding down her back put her out of her thoughts. She felt him firmly putting them on her ass, and gently pushing her body even closer against him.

"I'm the only man allowed to do that to you." He told her in a hoarse voice, grinning stupidly.

"Mhmh. Hell yes, you are." She mumbled against his lips, before closing the gap and kissed him hard.


	6. It looks yummy

**"It looks yummy."**

Neil had come home much later than expected that evening. There had been a complication during the surgery of his patient and it took them a little over four extra hours to get it done. As after each shift, he felt tired but the adrenaline rush that always came with each successful surgery would keep him awake for a few more hours. There was a thing each surgeon would agree on and it was the indefinable sparkle you could feel about saving lives. He'd first tasted this euphoric feeling years ago and yet it was still there after all this time.

He had just parked his car in the driveway and took a look at the time displayed on the dashboard screen. It was terribly late, and he just realized he had missed their date tonight. He had completely forgotten to make sure someone told her he wouldn't be in time at the restaurant and he then suddenly felt guilty imagining her waiting for him, sitting alone at a table of two. There was no doubt he would make it up to her.

Once he reached the porch of his house, he turned his key in the lock and opened the door. He was surprised to find the lights on and to hear a soft music playing in the background. He frowned slightly as he dropped his briefcase at the bottom of the stairs and laid his jacket on the railing.

He entered the living room and was suddenly struck by a pleasant smell that was hovering in the room. He raised his eyebrows in surprise as he noticed Audrey standing at the stove, busy cooking something in the kitchen.

"Hey, look who's finally here!" She looked up at him, brightly smiling. He walked to the central island unit and rested his hand on the surface.

"I'm sorry, I had a complicated surgery." He sighed, shyly smiling at her. She smiled back at him, letting him know it was okay. He apologized to her even though he knew she certainly wouldn't be the kind to be mad at him for such a thing. She was in the best position to know how time-consuming and unpredictable their job could be.

"How did it go?"

"She'll be fine." He answered shortly, not really wanting to dwell on the work anymore. His thoughts were already elsewhere as he was looking at her with tender eyes. He didn't know she would be at his house tonight, but he was glad to find her standing there in his kitchen. Giving her a spare key a few weeks ago was the best idea he had in a long time.

"Good." She said, eyes focused on the frying pan as she was stirring the food with a wooden spoon.

"Since when the famous Dr. Lim likes cooking?" He teased her, walking up to her and wrapped his arms behind her. He nudged his nose in her hair and closed his eyes, softly breathing in her scent. God, he had missed her.

"Well, I needed to keep myself busy. Plus I was getting hungry, since you stood me up at the restaurant." She teased him, giving him a slight push backwards.

"Sorry again." He mumbled, resting his head on her shoulder. "How was your day?"

"It was long and awfully full of boring meetings. I miss being in the O.R." She sighed. Since being promoted to the position of Chief of surgery, she had hardly put a hand on a scalpel. She was far too busy dealing with the logistical aspects, meetings and paperwork.

"I know, it's not the most pleasant part of the job."

"I never thought I would miss being in the action so much."

"You know I'm proud of you, right?" She nodded slightly, and tilted her head so it could rest against his for a few moments. "Thank you." She whispered.

They remained silent for a few more minutes, without moving. She was trying to finish cooking her meal, trying not to burn it, while Neil was getting a little bored. He raised his head and pulled aside the few strands of hair that had come to stand in his way, then started to drop kisses along her neck. He softly smiled, having a few ideas of how the night could turn. Not long ago, he realized how much he loved to see her so comfortable in his own house. He'd never had the chance to see this domestic side of her before, knowing he was the only one able to witness this made him feel like the luckiest man in the world and he was falling madly in love with her a little more every day.

"Diner is almost ready." She softly sang joyfully, proud of herself for having cooked something edible for once.

"Mhmh." He hummed, kissing the spot under her ear. "_**It looks yummy.**_"

"Thank you. And all of this without burning your whole house down!" She brightly smiled.

"I wasn't talking about the food…" He whispered with a hoarse voice, and slightly nibbled her earlobe.

"Oh, you think you're funny, don't you?" She chuckled, trying to ignore the hands that had sneaked on her ribs. She then saw his hand moving towards the hotplate. "Hey! What are you doing?" She gently scolded him, as he just pressed the power button.

"Nothing, making sure we don't actually burn the house down." He then put the spoon out of her hand and put it down. He put his hands on her hips and she let him turn her body in his arms without a word.

"Tonight, I'll just have the dessert." He grinned and looked at her with hungry eyes. As she could never resist this look, the next thing he knew, her hand was on his neck and she pulled him towards her. The kiss quickly turned wild as he had grabbed her ass and lifted her in his arms. In one swift movement, he turned around and put her down on the counter that was behind him. Her legs were tightly wrapped around his hips and she could already feel him aroused through the fabric of his trousers. Neil had managed to pull her shirt off her jeans and slid his hands under her top. The feeling of his cold hands on her skin made her shivering, and he took the opportunity of her moan to deepen the kiss and find her tongue in a hectic battle of control. Their breathing was shaky as she was clumsily working on the buttons of his shirt. He had to break off their kiss to pull her top over her head and threw it carelessly in the room.

Soon, they found themselves half-naked. He had started kissing and sucking on her skin down her neck and to her collarbone while she was gripping onto his shoulder. Her other hand was buried deep in his hair. He could feel himself losing control every second that passed, and the more he was worshipping her body the more things were heated up in the room. He knew that if he didn't slow down now, it would soon be impossible for them to stop.

"Are we really gonna do this on the kitchen floor?" He asked breathless, and she shrugged.

"I've known you more adventurous." She teased him.

"Well, I'm not sure my back will hold up." He usually had nothing against doing it in every place this house could offer, but tonight his body was quite killing him after his shift and the twelve hours of intense surgery.

Audrey brought her face closer to his.

"Take me to bed and make love to me, old man." She whispered playfully in his ear.

"That's me you're calling old?" He faked to be wounded in his ego, but couldn't hide his smirk long enough. She nodded, and he brought his face closer to hers. He kissed her slowly, taking his time to savor the taste of her swollen lips. She grabbed his face between her hands and deepened the kiss. He let her get lost in his tender torture a little while before grabbing her out of a sudden, making her squeak in surprise.

"I'll show you who's the old man." She laughed out loud, before leaning down to capture his lips one more time as he carried her upstairs, forgetting about the diner.


	7. Hey, look at me

_Sorry for the late update, I've been sick and stuck in bed for days. I've only been able to sort this out. Enjoy reading!_

* * *

**"Hey, look at me."**

Audrey turned off the light and came out of the bathroom. Neil was already in bed waiting for her, his back leaned against the headboard. He was looking at her with such loving eyes as she walked towards her side of the bed, wearing nothing but a black shorty and a light oversized sweater with her hair tied up in a bun.

"I'll have to stop by at my place tomorrow to get some clean clothes for the next few days." She said, climbing on the bed and slipping under the covers. "I'll probably take the evening to arrange some stuff at my house, so don't wait for me for diner." Neil was listening to her and nodded with a faint smile. He opened his arm to her instinctively, and she pecked him on the lips before snuggling against him.

Neil had been awfully quiet since a few days and she could sense something was off with him. It was slightly starting to worry her but she tried not to show it. Instead she pulled back her head and looked up at him.

"What's going on up there?" She softly taped on his forehead with her fingertip, making him smile. Neil shrugged, and leaned down to kiss the top of her head.

"Just thinking." He mumbled in her hair.

"Tell me." She softly encouraged him to open up to her, while he was casually stroking her arm back and forth. Neil took a moment, deciding whether it was the right moment to share his thoughts or not. At some point, he sighed and finally talked.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you for quite some time now but, I'm not sure how you will react."

"Okay, now you're scaring me." She joked, frowning.

"What would you say if I ask you to move in with me?" He felt Audrey tense in his arms and the next second she pulled away from his embrace.

"Are you serious?" She looked at him attentively, trying to detect the slightest wrinkle that might betray any joke he might have tried to make.

"I am." Indeed, he seemed very serious. She straightened and sat next to him.

"Why are you proposing this now?" He had expected this kind of reaction from her, but he'd thought she would have at least seemed a bit more thrilled than she was right now.

"I don't know… I love you, we've been together for more than a year and half now, we make a good team, the sex is great," He teased her, but she didn't react. "We're handling things pretty well at work and you spend almost all your free time here now. You're basically living here already. I just want to make it sound more official, I guess." He waited for an answer but she didn't say a word, looking at the wall in front of her. He sighed slightly and straightened up at his turn, leaning his forearms on his knees.

"What are you so afraid of?" He softly asked her.

"I'm not afraid!" She retorted, quite upset. She had abruptly turned to look at him, and he could tell by her look he had hit a sensitive point.

"Aud…" He sighed. "I know you. I knew you would stiffen at the idea of moving in with me." In the meantime, she had turned her head away from him again. Arguing with her was the last thing he wanted tonight, but they needed to talk. He stretched out his arm towards her and stroked her cheek with the back of his finger, to show her he was right there.

"It's a big step." She finally let out, after a few moments.

"I know."

"The last time I lived with a man it ended in a divorce, and it was pretty nasty. I don't want that to happen to us, I want to protect whatever we have right now."

"_**Hey, look at me**_." He leaned towards her and gently grabbed her hands, making her turn to face him. "What happened with your ex-husband has nothing to do with what we're living now. I'm not him, and you're not the same person anymore. We've both changed… We're more mature and more thoughtful. So yes, there will be ups and downs as in every relationship. But everything is different, which means we won't make the same mistakes again."

"What if we do?" She asked with a feverish voice.

"I knew you'd say that." He grinned and she rolled her eyes at him, smiling at her turn. "We'll get through this, and you know how I know that?" She slightly nodded. "As long as we stick together, everything's gonna be fine."

She kept quiet for a moment as she looked down at their entwined hands, thinking about what he had just said. She hadn't expected him to ask that question. She felt good about the way they were right now, and didn't want it to change. Sure, she wanted their relationship to evolve and get more serious, but she was petrified at the thought of rushing them straight into a wall. She clearly didn't want to lose him. But Neil was right, he was not Kashal and she was not Jessica. They were no longer the person they used to be and their relationship was totally different from any they had ever lived before. She wanted to believe him and trust him, but she was also terrified of hitting a new level of vulnerability and intimacy with him.

"Are you sure you want this?"

"Absolutely. I wouldn't have asked you if I wasn't." He paused, "You don't have to answer me right now, the last thing I want is pushing you away." He slightly leaned down, tilting his head to catch her eyes. "Just think about it, okay?"

She looked up at him. She didn't need time to think about it, her mind was made up the second she had crossed his gaze. All the answers to her questions were in his eyes. She could see in them what she had never seen in another man's eyes before, not even her ex-husband's; the sincere and pure love he had for her.

She grabbed his face in her hands and leaned over for a tender kiss. When she pulled away, she smiled at him.

"I'm in." She whispered. She could read the shock on his face as he frowned a bit, a grin growing on his face. "Let's give it a try." She shrugged.

As they looked into each other eyes, Neil abruptly tipped her backwards on the mattress, making her yelp in surprise. He hushed her covering her mouth with his lips, and started kissing her passionately.

"Mm," She stopped him and slightly pushed him away with her finger. "I'm warning you, my Ducati's coming with me." He cracked a smile, and leaned down again.

"I wouldn't have imagined it any other way." He whispered against her lips, before kissing her again.


	8. You're the cutest elf I've ever seen

_So I was supposed to get some sleep, but here I am at 00:35 am posting another chapter, bwahahah. Here's a little Christmas prompt. As I probably won't be able to write for a few days with the festivities, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year already! May this Christmas season bring joy to your heart and happiness to your home! Love you all._

* * *

**"You're the cutest elf I've ever seen."**

It was supposed to be a memorable evening for the children of the pediatric service at St Bonaventure hospital, but things didn't really work out as planned. Audrey couldn't believe this was actually happening. Hector, the maintenance technician had just called to let her know he wouldn't be able to make it in time to play the elf at the Christmas party tonight. She had about thirty excited children in the next room, unable to stand still, who were expecting to receive their Christmas presents any minute and if she didn't find a solution within the next five minutes the night would turn into a complete disaster. There was no way she would be responsible for the tears of all those children. This was already bad enough they couldn't get Santa Claus for the occasion, if on top of that there wasn't his elf…

It was at this very moment she spotted Neil walking towards her in the hallway with his usual grin on his face. His shift had just ended and he had promised her he would stop by the Christmas party to help her before going home. She looked at him and narrowed her eyes as he was getting closer. She then came up with an idea, even though he probably wasn't gonna like it, _at all_.

As he reached her and leaned towards her to greet her with a kiss, she blocked him by shoving the bag against his chest. "Don't ask any questions, just put on the suit and play along." She quickly told him.

"What?" He furrowed his eyebrows, unsettled as she grabbed him by the arms and made him turn.

"Hector bailed out on me and I need you to replace him." She started pushing him forward to the nearest restroom.

"Who the hell is Hector?" He couldn't understand a word she was saying, but he let her guide him anyway.

"I'll explain to you later."

* * *

"Are you okay in there?" Audrey asked from behind the door. Neil had entered the toilet a while ago, and she was worried she hadn't heard from him yet. He didn't answer, so she called him out. "Neil?"

"There's no way I'm going out dressing up like that." He finally broke the silence off.

"Oh come on, it can't be that bad!"

"I said no!"

"Neil, stop being such a stubborn ass and get out of here!" She scolded him. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally heard the sound of the door being unlocked. As soon as he stepped out of the toilet, she had hardly been able to contain her laugh and had to bit her lip to hold it.

"That's not funny."

She tilted her head, and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, it is." He was wearing a green outfit, with red and white striped pantyhose. His shoes were red and had a bell hanging from the toe on each side. But the best parts were the hat and the pointy fake ears that suit him surprisingly well.

"_**You're the cutest elf I've ever seen.**_" She gently teased him.

"This is gonna cost you, a lot. You know that, right?" He was being completely serious.

"We'll talk about that later." She smirked, and playfully tapped on his nose with her fingertip. "They're waiting for you."

She walked out the restroom with a triumphant smile on her face. _Do it for the kids, Neil._ He sighed, murmuring to himself before following her outside.

As soon as Neil entered the room filled with children and saw all of their faces lighting up, he quickly forgot the embarrassing position he was in. He easily got into the game and seriously took on the role of Santa's famous right-hand little man as he began to greet each of the kids, thanking heaven for the brilliant idea of putting their names on their sweaters with stickers. A crowd of little people had quickly gathered around him, and he started to distribute gifts by dozen. The screams of joy, laughter and smiles were now filling the room and made the children forget for a few moments why they were in the hospital in the first place.

Audrey was standing aside in a corner of the room with the parents and some of her co-workers, and was watching the scene with a wide smile on her face. She had always known he was good with children, but seeing him in action suddenly warmed her heart. She felt her chest be filled with unconditional love for the man standing in front of her, and she couldn't wait to discover what the future had for them.

Neil had stayed with the children for over an hour, being careful to spend a little of his time with each of them personally. He wasn't supposed to stay for the whole party, but he was so caught up in the role-play that he didn't even see the time go by. But at some point, the kids had to go back to their bedrooms and said goodbye to the Elf, not without some pouting faces.

Later in the evening, after everyone helped for cleaning, Neil had finally been able to slip away. As he walked closer to where Lim was standing, they shared a smile.

"Well, it wasn't so bad after all." She said as he was finally a few inches from her.

"The kids were great." He nodded.

They quietly looked into each other eyes for a brief moment, as if they were in their own little world.

"Thank you, for doing this." She finally said. He scoped closer to her and laid a hand on her hip, without caring about the others in the room.

"I'd do anything for that smile of yours." He whispered to her, before kissing her temple. She was pleasantly touched by his words and she smiled at him tenderly.

"That's really nice of you to say that." She rested her hand against his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer against him.

"You know what sounds even nicer right now? Hot chocolate, a blanket, and you."

Her smile grew even wider as she agreed with him. She pulled away from his embrace and grabbed his hand in hers. "Let's go home." She said and they both headed out, hand in hand, the bells of his shoes ringing in sync with every of his steps.


	9. Are you jealous?

**"Are you jealous?"**

They hadn't been able to settle a date in weeks due to their crazy busy schedule and so they were quite content to finally go out and enjoy some "in couple" time. It was Neil's turn to pick up a place to eat. He had noticed that a brand new Italian restaurant had opened not long ago near the hospital and had heard nothing but good feedback from the people who had already eaten there. It did seem to be a rather gastronomic restaurant and he had been dying to taste their local dishes. Audrey was pretty happy with his choice. She was getting tired of takeout and junk food and she was looking forward to spend a nice and decent diner with her boyfriend. After Neil parked his Tesla in a spot not far from the restaurant, they both got out of the car. The weather was not that cold for a spring night so they didn't bother bringing jackets with them. He had walked a few meters ahead, but stopped and turned around to wait for Audrey. She tucked her phone in her small bag before hanging it to her shoulder and as he watched her walking towards him, he couldn't help but checking her out with loving eyes. She was radiant in her navy blue jumpsuit with her hair tied down sideway in a curly ponytail. She had chosen a pair of slightly wedge sandals and thin dangling earrings for the final touch. It was elegant yet sober, and he suddenly felt a sense of pride at the thought of walking into the restaurant with this beautiful woman – he was lucky to call his girlfriend – at his arm. When she finally reached him with a smile plastered on her face, he stretched out his arm towards her and she gladly took his hand in hers.

"You look beautiful." He smiled at her, as they headed to the entrance.

"Thank you, handsome." She cooed, leaning her chin on his shoulder for a short moment.

After walking a few more blocks, they arrived at the restaurant. The façade was sumptuous. There was a sidewalk seating area along the front, surrounded by magnificent hedges of multicolored flowers. There were lights hanging over it, making the whole place quite romantic. They took the central alley and Neil opened the door for Audrey. He followed her inside with a hand on her lower back. A waiter arrived immediately to meet them and after giving the reservation name, he guided them to their table. Although the establishment was practically full, it was so well laid out that it wasn't really bothering. Once settled in, you could easily chat without the neighbors around hearing the conversation and vice versa. It was a cozy and intimate, a perfect place for two lovers to diner at.

It didn't take long for a waitress to arrive at their table and take their orders. Audrey immediately noticed the way the young woman was looking at Neil and she couldn't help but wonder if she was just being polite or cheeky enough to dare devouring him with her eyes in her presence. She usually never paid attention to this kind of behavior. She was aware that Neil was an attractive man, and even more so tonight as he was dressed in a white shirt that was fitting his muscular frame perfectly. But she didn't know why, right now she just couldn't stand it. Though for now, she gave her the benefit of the doubt.

Her first intuition only got confirmed as the evening went on. The waitress had come to their table several times during dinner to ask if everything was going well, and at no time she had spoken directly to Audrey. She had barely even looked at her. Audrey never said anything, but she was slowly getting irritated of her game and she could feel her insides boiling whenever she caught her secretly looking at her man. The evening was slowly getting to an end as the waitress brought their dessert. Instead of leaving them alone right after putting down their plates, she turned her attention to Neil once again.

"Haven't we met already? I feel like I've seen you before." She asked innocently, with a high pitched voice that gave Audrey a few murderous urges.

Neil frowned slightly as he tried to remember where he could have seen her, in vain. "Um, no sorry."

"Are you sure? Honestly, I wouldn't have forgotten a pretty face like yours."

Neil glanced at Audrey, and he started to feel slightly embarrassed. He noticed her clenched jaw and she raised an eyebrow at him. He cleared his throat and smiled at the woman awkwardly.

"Well, I work at the hospital so yes, maybe. I don't know."

"Oh, you're a doctor!"

"A surgeon, yeah."

The waitress put her hands on her chest, and looked at him in awe.

"Oh my god, I have so much admiration for people like you. I mean, you save lives! It's amazing!"

"Yeah, it is!" Audrey said, mocking her with a high pitched voice. She couldn't have helped but step in the conversation. He reaction and smile were so forced that it was obvious for everyone she was not carrying the other woman in her heart. The waitress finally acknowledged her presence as she turned her head in her direction and faked a smile at her turn. Neil could feel the thick tension between the two women as they were staring at each other. Finally, the woman gave it up and turned again to speak to Neil.

"Well, if you need anything let me know." She widely smiled at him as she put her hand on his shoulder before walking away from their table. Audrey watched her leave and as soon as she was at a reasonable distance, she turned her head and looked at Neil with a murderous look.

"If she laids her hand on your shoulder one more time, I'm gonna choke her with that napkin."

He hadn't expected her to say that and chuckled at her sudden reaction.

"I'm not kidding, Neil." She raised her eyebrows, pointing her fork full of chocolate cake to him before taking the bite.

"I've no doubts about that."

* * *

Neil unlocked the front door and Audrey rushed in without a word. He could feel the tension and he could tell she was mad about something.

As he stepped in the kitchen, following her closely, she dropped her small bag heavily on the counter and took off her shoes before walking to the fridge. He stayed behind and observed her as she seemed to be searching for something. Neil was somewhat lost and couldn't figure out what could have put her in this state. The rest of the evening had gone well, although the sticky waitress had kept doing her advances towards him but he had completely forgotten about her already.

She poured herself a glass of water and took a sip, with her back to him.

"Did I say or make something wrong?" He tried to ask her.

"What makes you think you did?" She answered a bit too harshly, which confirmed his theory that she was indeed irritating about something.

"Well, you haven't said a word since we left the restaurant." Usually, the silent rides home wouldn't have bothered him. But he wasn't blind. He could tell the difference between these moments, and those where she was on the edge of uttering her rage.

"So now just because I have nothing to say means I'm mad at you?" She was now facing him and frowned.

"I didn't say that." He sighed. He waited, but since she still didn't seem to have calmed down, he preferred changing the subject and lightening the mood. "It was a nice evening. I haven't had such a great meal in a long time. We should eat there more often."

Boy, didn't he know this was the thing he shouldn't have said!

"Yeah, sure. No wonder why." She said in a sarcastic tone.

"What does that mean?" Neil frowned slightly, not really understanding her sudden bitterness.

"That means maybe you enjoyed the flirty thing with the cute waitress more than the meal!"

So that was it, then.

"_**Are you jealous?**_" He couldn't help but grin as he finally realized what that fuss had been all about.

"No, I'm not." She snapped at him.

"Yes, you are." He stated, and took a few steps closer to her. But now that he had put his finger on the sensitive spot, Audrey wasn't in the mood to talk about this and tried to escape the discussion.

"Never mind. I'm going to bed, good night." She said, putting her empty glass in the sink. As she walked towards the stairs, he rushed towards her and grabbed her by the arm.

"Hey, hey, wait." He stopped her and encircled her body in his arms from behind. She sighed in defeat as he pulled her against him and leaned in his embrace. He dropped his chin on her shoulder and said, "I was being nice with her, that's all."

"Yeah, obviously." She mumbled. She tried to keep a straight face but she had never been able to stay mad at him for more than five minutes. Even less when there were his arms tightened around her.

"I'm a friendly guy, remember?" He teased her with a squeeze, recalling the words he had used in his Tesla when they were still dating secretly.

It didn't take much for her to chuckle and rolled her eyes at his bubblegum humor, "you're such an idiot."

"Yes, but I'm _your_ idiot." He pulled away and he made her turn to face him. "I'm sorry if you felt like I wasn't enjoying your company tonight. You don't have to worry about that girl, or any other one. There's only one woman I only have eyes for, and she's standing right in front of me."

She smiled at him, as he leaned in and kissed her chastely.

"I'm sorry for making a scene." She apologized, lowering her head to look at their intertwined hands.

"That's okay. I kinda like it when you're jealous, it makes you look even hotter." He pulled her closer seductively and slid one of his arms around her waist.

"I was not jealous! I was just noticing…" She insisted, full of bad faith.

"Yeah, whatever you call it." He mumbled against her lips before closing the gap. She slipped her hand in the back of his neck and they both smiled, kissing each other. His lips brushed hers softly at first, just long enough so she could inhale his breath. But as he cupped her cheek with his other hand they started kissing each other soundly. The heat rose in her cheeks as she felt his tongue tracing across the bottom of her lip. Soon, her tongue was playing with his, quick and electric, and delicious, then firmer, more determined. A soft sound escaped her throat and she felt like floating in another universe. It didn't feel like a battle to win, but more like a seeking union to share one passionate moment.

At some point, they had to break the kiss to breath and Neil was the first one to pull away. They looked deeply in each other eyes, and he started to brush her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I love you, Audrey. More than you can imagine." He heart melted at the way he was looking at her while saying those words. She had been foolish to even doubt that for a second.

"I love you, too." She finally replied, with the same intensity of love.


	10. We shouldn't be doing this

"**We shouldn't be doing this."**

As soon as they both entered the house, Neil pinned her against the closed door, his mouth crashing against her soft lips to muffle her moan. Her mind couldn't process what was happening. A few hours ago they were arguing about a risky surgery in her office, confronting each other's opinion as they hadn't stopped doing ever since they had broken up. Yet here they were, making out in the middle of his hall as if they had never left each other. He kissed her once, then twice, stealing her breath and giving it back. He's kissing her with a fervent urgent need. She had missed him, more than she had thought. Their hearts were beating fast as elated emotion and physical euphoria were intensely rushing through their bodies. It didn't feel real. They thought of nothing else but each other's bodies, each other's lips and touches.

It didn't take long before he quietly asked for permission, caressing her lower lip with the tip of his tongue. She immediately welcomed him with parted lips and they started kissing each other as if it had suddenly became a vital need. The kiss was raw, almost brutal, reflecting their conflicted feelings and the frustration of the previous months spent apart.

She had slipped one of her hands behind his neck, her fingertips scratching the small hair at the back of his skull, pulling him even further against her. She could feel his hands roaming everywhere on her body and the sudden thought of it making her dizzy. They tilted their heads to opposite sides, giving them better access to deepen the kiss. His mouth was making love to hers, more and more passionately by the second. Her body melted into his, and their lips fit like two puzzles pieces. Things had never felt more right than at this particular moment.

As the lack of air started to be felt, his mouth left hers to find the sensitive spot on her neck. She tilted her head instinctively once again as he was nibbling at her jaw along the way. Once he found what he was looking for, he started softly sucking on her skin. Her eyes shut down at the sensation of his mouth kissing her jugular. She was pretty sure this would leave a mark, but right now she didn't care.

His hand slid down her spine, giving her shivers through her body and he stopped at the back of her rears. He encircled his arm around her and pulled her against him. It made her body arched against his and they were now closer than ever. His groin hit her middle center, causing them both to groan and she could feel his arousal already growing through the thick fabric of his pants as well as the heat warming her inner belly. Drunk on endorphins their only desire was to touch each other and feel each other's perfect softness.

The sudden intimacy brought her back to her senses and she finally took reality of what they were doing. Panic rushed over her, and she tensed a bit.

"We shouldn't…" She let out, breathless. The tone she used wasn't the most convincing.

"We shouldn't what?" He mumbled in the crook of her neck, not fully concentrated on what she was trying to say.

''**We shouldn't be doing this.**''

Neil stopped right away and pulled back his head to look at her. Their chests were gently bumping against each other with the quick rise and fall of their hectic breathing. She was looking preoccupied and hesitant. He suddenly wondered if he had made something wrong and worried about having hurting her unintentionally.

''You okay?''

She started into space and thought about it for a few seconds. They were still pressed against each other, her back against the door and his grip firmly holding her. It wasn't the best way to be clear-thinking. The sound of her heart was beating so loudly she couldn't concentrate. Part of her wanted to run away, now, and never look back. While another one wished to never leave his arms again.

"I don't know." She admitted, shyly.

He lowered his head, trying to catch her gaze.

"If you don't want this. If you think you'll regret it afterwards…" He paused, "You just have to say one word and I'll stop."

His voice was so composed and comforting. She stared at him, looking for any signs of doubt in them. But what she found instead were the love and desire he'd been holding for her over the years. Of course, it was probably a terrible mistake (_again_), and they would both agree on that. This would only make things even more complicated and they would need to have a talk tomorrow. But what had become their biggest weakness also became their greatest strength. The last months apart made them both realize they couldn't live without each other. They had tried to prove themselves the contrary, fighting with each other, using reproaches to transform the love in hatred. But none of this worked, and they both ended up back at square one again. They couldn't fight their feelings, and they were tired doing it so.

"Aud," he whispered. "Do you want me to stop?"

Audrey knew that she only needed to say the word for him to stop. But she wasn't sure if she wanted it anymore. Now that he was there, holding her as if he was scared she would disappear in the blink of an eye, kissing her as if there was no tomorrow, she wasn't sure of anything anymore.

Her eyes drifted to his lips for a second, and she wetted hers unconsciously with the tip of her tongue, which had the effects to drive Neil's mind even more nuts. She looked back at him and her eyes softened with tenderness before sparking with something else. They said eyes were the windows to our soul, and he clearly could see through them at this right moment.

''No.'' She whispered after a while.

He nodded, quietly.

''Good." He leaned down, bringing his face so close to her she could feel his hot breath stroking her skin. "Because I really want to kiss you right now.'' He said in a hoarse voice.

"So kiss me."

They both cracked a smile, as he gently brought his hand to her face. He stroked her cheek with his fingertips. Heat rose from her stomach to her chest and her heart definitely skipped a beat as Neil's lips were closing in. His nose brushed against hers and the moment his mouth was on hers once again, all her doubts vanished instantly. This time he didn't rush it, and she let out little whimpers of anticipation as he tenderly kissed her swollen and smooth lips again. It'd always felt magic, the way his mouth connected with hers. They held it for a few seconds, before their lips began to move in perfect sync, slowly, cautiously. He exhaled through his nose as his entire body was taken over by the overwhelming feeling of relief. Good lord, he didn't know how he'd survived without her all this time. He then made a promise to himself that he'd never let her go again.

As they parted for the second time, he pulled back and he stared at her intensely. He studied every part of her in her deep brown eyes and the way they were shining as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear made him melt away. No words are spoken as their glances battled each other. They both smiled and he grabbed her hand, pulling her with him as he led her upstairs. Screw the protocols. Screw the gossips. Screw the hospital and its goddamn rules. This was their new beginning, a promise of much more to come.

* * *

**You asked for an update, here I am! It's a short one, but I just needed to write something light and without any plot. This is what came in mind when I chose the prompt. Hoping to live up to your expectations. I might be running out of ideas, so if you have request feel free to share! I'll be gladly trying to write something out for you.**

**Stay safe! xo**


	11. You're not allowed to die, you hear me?

"**You're not allowed to die, you hear me?"**

Neil didn't know how long he'd been walking down that corridor. He had lost all sense of time, and the path he had taken seemed endless. He was walking very slowly, his body half leaning against the wall. The pain going through his abdomen was so intense he was barely able to stand still.

There was an earthquake. Part of the building had collapsed, and he didn't know how many people were trapped under the ruins. He didn't even know where were Glassman, Lea and the other doctor who was with them at the event. He was moving cautiously, desperately looking for a way out. Lights were flashing, dust was pouring down from the ceiling and some gravels were falling here and there. The building was probably not going to last long, and no one was safe from a second wave of earthquake. If he didn't get out of here very soon, he would end up completely buried under the rubble. But he was tired. So very tired and sore. And there was this deep cut that he couldn't get to stop bleeding despite the pressure he'd been putting on it for hours.

After a while – he couldn't have tell how long exactly – he finally reached the end of the corridor. He turned on the left, hoping for a miracle but he stopped right away when he saw what was ahead. It was a dead end. A mound of rubble was blocking the path and there was no way he could clear it by himself. He sighed, this was the end then? He walked to the closest of that mound and leaned against the wall. He let himself slide down until he sat on the floor. He needed a break, and it's not like there was another way out anyway.

He was slightly losing hope as the time was going by. He wondered what things were like on the outside. How bad was the situation? How many people were dead? How many were trapped? And then he suddenly started to feel his heart clenching in his chest at the thought of a certain someone.

_Audrey._ Was she okay? Damn it, he needed to know. He reached his phone inside the pocket of his jacket with difficulty. There was probably no signal here, but he had to at least try. He let out a slight chuckle of relief when he noticed the only bar of signal on his screen. It was tiny, but it was still there. This was maybe his only chance to call for help.

He opened the contact list, and his heart ached again when he realized she was very far on his recent calls. But at the same time, it wasn't that surprising either. They hadn't been talking to each other lately and it saddened him a lot. Not only did he lost his lover, but he also lost his best friend. He didn't want their last conversation to be the one they had about a patient, or the last memory she had of him to be their non-stop arguments over the past few months.

He pressed the green button on his screen, and waited anxiously. He immediately put the call on speakers, tilted his head back against the wall behind him and closed his eyes.

_Come on, Aud. Pick up the phone, please._ He was praying mentally._ Pick up the damn phone._

After the fifth ring, he almost lost hope when suddenly he finally heard her voice. He quickly straightened his head, too quickly even which caused him some dizziness.

"Neil? Are you okay?" It sounded more panicked than she would have wanted in the first place.

Audrey had heard from Claire that Neil was at the charity event when the earthquake happened. But she had been in the uncertainty and doubt all this time, not knowing where he was or if he was still alive. It'd been burning her insides, eating her alive but she had kept a straight face all the way, not wanting to show anyone her weakness and fear. She had barely hide her relief when she heard his voice.

"I-I'm fine." He had trouble speaking, trying to keep a steady breath despite the pain. But she knew very well by the sound of his voice and the way he spoke there was something wrong. "I just needed to hear your voice. Are you safe?"

"Yes, I am." She frowned, quickly brushing his question away. "Where are you?"

"Um, I don't know." He looked around, "I'm not sure."

"What do you see? Tell me anything that could help us."

"We were all gathered in a large lobby when the floor started shaking, making everyone panicked. The exits had been quickly flooded with people trying to get out but we managed to find another way out. I think we must have reached the east side of the building."

"Wait, _we_? How many are you with?"

"I was with Glassman, Lea and another woman." He closed his eyes, frowning. His thoughts were really confused and he found it harder by time to concentrate. "I can't remember her name. We walked down a long hallway and then the shaking started again more violently. Everything collapsed, we've been split out. I don't know if they're okay or not."

"Alright, it's okay. Are you hurt?"

"I've got a pretty bad bleeding wound in my abdomen." He looked down at his injury. He slightly pulled away his hand, which was now completely red from his own blood. It was bleeding profusely. He was a doctor, and he knew very well it wasn't good at all but he preferred not to startle Audrey any further.

"I'm good but I don't know how long I'll be able to hold out." Suddenly, a few cracks echoed within the walls. He froze for a moment, looking up there and fearing this might collapse. "Nor how long the rest of the ceiling will resist." He finally added, as the trembling stopped.

"Can you move to another area and shelter yourself?"

"No, there's rubble everywhere. I'm-I'm stuck, I can't move out."

"We're outside the building right now, getting a rescue team ready. We're gonna get you out of here, Neil. Until then, **you're not allowed to die, you hear me?**"

Neil softly chuckled. Despite the rather anxious situation, she wasn't losing her bossy attitude.

"I'll try my best."

"You better." He could easily picture her softly smiling through the phone, even though he wasn't seeing her face.

The conversation fell flat, and the wait was tense. Both Neil and Audrey were holding their breath, the unspoken words at the edge of their tongue. They knew if they had something to say, it was the right moment to do so.

"Audrey?" He breathed out, shakily.

"I'm still here." She softly answered him.

After what felt like ages, Neil finally gathered his courage to speak first.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" Audrey frowned.

"Everything." His tone of voice weakened as time went by. "For questioning your objectivity. For doubting your love. I'm so-"

"Please, don't- don't do this." She shut her eyes down.

"No, please let me finish." He begged her, and she just kept quiet even though she wasn't sure she was ready for that.

"I need you to hear what I have to say if I…" He didn't have the strength to say the words.

"Don't make it sound like a goodbye." She murmured. Neil chose to ignore her. He didn't know if he was gonna make it out alive, and from his point of view chances were really slim. So yes, maybe he was saying her goodbye in his own way after all.

"I'm sorry I didn't fight for us. I shouldn't have let you go."

"You said it yourself, I'm the one who dumped you. It's not all your fault, Neil."

"Maybe. But if I hadn't questioned everything back then, you wouldn't have left. I've hurt you. I've said things I didn't mean. I unintentionally pushed you to choose between your career and our relationship, this wasn't fair and I'm truly sorry. I want you to know…" He paused, a sharp pain cutting his breathing.

"Neil?" She called his name, worried.

"I'm good, I'm good." He reassured her. He inhaled deeply, before going on. "I want you to know that you've always been special to me. I don't think I've ever told you this, but I think deep down I've always been in love with you. Even when you were a real pain in the ass during our residency." He cracked a smile, and he heard her chuckle through what seemed to be tears.

He didn't know that, but she had sneaked away from the crowd of paramedics, doctors and rescuers hoping for some privacy and it was getting harder and harder to maintain her Chief role in mind now that she was alone. She was freaking scared, she didn't want to lose him and hearing saying all these things wasn't helping.

"I've always.. I've always imagined that I would end up with a family on my own, children running everywhere in a sumptuous house, with a big garden surrounding with white fences. The perfect cliché. Except things didn't really turn out the way I'd hoped. Then you came along, and suddenly everything changed. Suddenly I finally felt like I could reach this old dream with my fingertips. I've never felt that way with anyone but you." He paused, "I wish things had turned out differently. I so wish you and I could have made it work. I wish we had more time."

"But we do." She hissed softly, almost sounding desperate as she was holding back a sob.

"We're not sure about that."

He could hear her shaky breath through the phone.

"I love you, Audrey. I still have feelings for you, never stopped."

"You can tell me that all over again when I'll see you in a few, alright?" She smiled through the tears. She was hoping for some sassy answer from him, but instead he didn't say anything.

"Neil?"

Suddenly, there was a chaotic crashing noise. She could feel her heart drumming against her ribcage, imagining the worst happening.

"NEIL?" She almost yelled, as she finally heard the constant beeping through her phone meaning the call had abruptly ended.

* * *

_**Thank you for suggesting this idea! I started writing this before seeing the latest trailers. Obviously, this isn't going to happen this way but well… the most important thing was the call hehe. I'm not really satisfied with how it turned out but I hope it will still entertain you during these last hours of wait before the finale.**_

_**Thank you for supporting me and writing me reviews! **_


	12. Chapter 12

_Hello everyone. I won't dell on the finale for too long. I think everyone here feels the same way about that horrific and heartbreaking ending. It took me a long time before being able to write again, it was hard to get the motivation back. This was just a waste. Luckily, we still have fanfictions to ease our pain._

_I truly believe the whole plot with Trinity hadn't been written for nothing. The way Lim acted during the episode, and that finale scene... it must mean something. So, this one takes place at the end of the episode "Autopsy". This is how I'd have liked the episode to go. And obviously, in my world, Neil and Audrey got back together._

_Let me know what you think and what are your thoughts on the mystery around it. It could be fun to read your theories. _

_I have a few ideas for a new chapter of "What Comes Next?" and for a next one of "Lovebirds". I don't know which one will be update first. But so you know, I'm working on it!_

* * *

"**Any reason why you've been reading the same page ever since I sat down?"**

Neil had closed the door behind him with a weary sigh as it felt good to finally be home after an exhausted day at the hospital. He was even more thrilled knowing he was coming home to a special someone. He had seen her motorcycle parked in front of his house, her helmet was set down at the entrance and her jacket hung up at the coat rack. They'd never really set up a routine, but he had noticed the slight change in their relationship since they had both given each other spare key from their own houses. She would spend more time at his place, bring more of her stuff in his closets and she even bought a new toothbrush she could let permanently there. Part of him was convinced things got in place naturally, and that Audrey unconsciously preferred this situation as it was. She was quite independent, and she probably felt much more comfortable knowing that no one was trying to intrude on her privacy, and she could still have her own apartment if she ever needed to be alone. They never talked about it, and he would never bring the subject up as he didn't mind her putting some of her personal touch in his manly lair. Actually, he liked it a lot.

If the last few months hadn't been tough on their relationship, he probably would have offered her to move in officially without hesitation. But the new balance between their professional and personal life was still fresh, and he didn't want to ruin everything by rushing things. He'd already screwed it up enough by pushing her away when he'd lost his patient. It'd been hard enough to fix his mistakes and convince her to give their relationship another chance. He really thought he'd lost her for good this time, but fortunately their love was stronger.

As he followed the lights on, he spotted her sitting cross-legged on the couch, quietly reading a book with a half-emptied glass of whiskey setting on the coffee table. She must have been so focused on her reading as she didn't even react to his presence. He went to the kitchen cupboard and poured himself a glass of whiskey too, before joining her in the living room. As he finally entered her field of vision, she eventually looked up and smiled, watching him approaching.

"Hey, you." He smirked at her, as he bent down with his hand on the back of the sofa to steady himself and kissed her chastely on the lips. "You started the fun without me?" He teased her, looking over at her own glass.

When she realized what he was talking about, she chuckled slightly.

"I didn't know when you would come home."

"I didn't know either." He sighed, falling heavily on the sofa next to her. "I thought this shift would never end."

They fell into a comfortable silence as Neil took his phone out of his pocket and randomly scrolled at his screen, checking the missing notifications. Though there was a lot to catch up on, he couldn't quite concentrate on his task as his eyes were drifting to her from time to time. She was standing still, looking straight at the pages in front of her but he could feel something was off with her. He had felt it the moment he walked in the room. She wasn't in a chatty mood tonight, and she wasn't even trying to search for any kind of physical contact with him, which was a bit disturbing as she was always the one snuggling in his arms whenever he would come sitting next to her after a long day at work.

He thought about the right words to say for a while before breaking the ice. Sometimes she was so withdrawn that just pointing out something was unusual could make things worse.

"**Any reason why you've been reading the same page ever since I sat down?**" He tried, teasing her a bit on the way. He glanced at her, without really looking away from his phone, to gauge her reaction.

"Oh-um, I was just getting lost. I'm tired, that's all." She gave him a faint smile, but not enough to convince him.

"Rough day?"

"It's been more of a strange and unexpected one I'd say."

He looked at her, slightly frowning and put his phone down on the coffee table.

"You want to talk about it?" His hand fell on her thigh, and she could feel his thumb going on circles against the fabric of her yoga pants. She bitted her inner cheek, thinking about whether she was ready to open up to him or not. She wasn't sure she'd have better opportunities than now.

After a moment, she put her book down and finally broke the silence.

"I chased a little girl all over the hospital today."

"A patient who ran away?" Lim shake her head slightly. She shifted for a more comfortably sitting, facing him. He mimicked her and moved his hand away from her thigh to rest his arm on the back of the sofa. They were close enough to have their knees bumped against each other.

"At first I thought I was hallucinating as she was appearing and vanishing in seconds. But then, I've been able to catch her and cornered her in an elevator."

"Who was she?"

"She said that her mother was in the maternity ward and that she got lost on her way to the cafeteria. Honestly, I didn't believe her at all but I still gave her the benefit of the doubt. Before I could bring her back to her mother, she ran off again."

"Why would she run away?" Neil frowned, not really getting the point of the story.

"Remember the baby I found in the ER eight years ago?"

He stared into space, rummaging through his old memories.

"Yes, I do. It was on a Trinity sunday. She was in a very bad shape."

"It was her, the girl. Her name's Trinity, but I checked and there was no one on the maternity ward with a daughter named Trinity. She came all the way to the hospital for me."

"What did she want?"

"She wanted to see me, _again_." She paused, "and she asked me to adopt her."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Audrey slightly snorted, realizing the silliness of the situation. "In the end, it turned out that her mother had just had a new daughter and she was convinced that she would no longer care and therefore, she needed a new heart to love her."

"Yours." Neil stated, and Audrey simply nodded with a smile.

Another moment of silence settled in the room, and from the look on her face Neil could tell she hadn't been telling him everything.

"That's really touching. But it's not the only reason you've been a little off, isn't it?" He tilted his head, trying to catch her gaze. She looked up briefly but avoided him. She was playing nervously with her fingers. He was starting to get a little bit worried about where the conversation was going, but he didn't rush her and let her the needed time.

"I've been adopted." She finally let out, looking straight at him.

"Wha-… You never mentioned that before." Neil hadn't expected this kind of revelation, that was for sure.

"Not a lot of people know about that part of my life, you know." She paused, "I was barely a few days old when my- the woman who gave birth to me took the decision to drop me at the door of an orphanage in Taipei."

"I'm sorry."

Lim shrugged softly. "I don't have any memories from that, which is a good thing I suppose. I was placed in foster care a few weeks later. Then, my parents eventually adopted me. We left the country, started a new life here. You know the rest. I've had the happiest childhood a kid could ever dream of."

"How did you know?"

"That I've been adopted?"

Neil nodded, and she took a moment to remember the events.

"I think I must have realized this simply by wondering why I'd never seen any pictures of my mother being pregnant of me, or the both of us being in the maternity ward. One day, I just asked her and I knew from the look on her face that… some stuff were about to be revealed."

"How old were you?"

"I was around ten."

"It must've been hard for you." He stretched out his arm and linked his hand with hers.

"It was. I grew up and built myself believing that my birth mother didn't love me enough to raise me, that _I_ wasn't enough."

"You're still mad at her?"

"I was, for a long time. But now, it's just part of my past. I've moved on."

"Have you tried to contact her?"

"No, never."

"You regret it?"

"Sometimes?" She squinted her eyes. "But it wouldn't have made any difference."

"But why? Maybe you could have had answers to your questions?"

"What I meant is that, it wouldn't have changed the fact that she did abandon me. And even though I would have wanted to look for her, she didn't let any letter or anything that could have help me find her. She didn't want me to find her, ever. I'm not sure I want to know the truth, anyway. I'd rather keep convincing myself she had good reasons to do what she did. Because, you must have some good reasons to abandon your own baby, right?"

"I suppose, yes." He softly said, almost whispering as he gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She simply nodded, looking terribly confused and torn. He couldn't even imagine how overwhelming this day must have been for her, going back through all these repressed childhood traumas again.

"You recognized yourself through that little girl, didn't you?"

She sighed deeply. He was right.

"At some point, yes. When I found her eight years ago, so tiny and sick, part of me wanted to take her home with me and protect her. I didn't want her to go through what I've been through."

"Yeah, I remember you were quite struggling about letting her go. But who wouldn't? She was such a cute baby." He softly smiled, remembering the very right moment where he spotted Audrey with that tiny little girl snuggled into her arms.

"When I found out the truth about me, I often wondered if it was okay to love both my birth mother despite what she did to me, and my adopted mother. It's quite disturbing for a child to have all these people related to you in so many ways, and yet having to understand what love means in the middle of this mess."

"No matter what she did, she's still your mother. It's okay to feel love towards her, even though you have no idea who she is."

"I know, it's just… It's not easy to realize that everything you thought was true, all your landmarks, were absolutely built on lies. You feel like you suddenly don't belong anywhere anymore. But that's not true. Because your real parents are the ones that had always been there and raised you like their own child. It took me a lot of time to realize that."

They fell into another silence. Suddenly, Audrey felt nostalgia hitting her heart and she brushed the feeling off right away. She didn't want it to get to her again. It was just a strange day, nothing more. She didn't want to dwell on the past even more.

"Anyway," she sighed, forcing a smile. "It just brought back some buried memories, that's all. But I'm fine, really. And I'm glad Trinity is okay, too. You should've seen her." She chuckled, "she must be such a smart and funny kid. I'm glad to see it didn't affect her much more. She's a though one."

"So do you."

Audrey looked at him, confused. She gently frowned, a tiny smile appearing in the corner of her mouth.

"I mean, look at you too. See how far you've gone. The first woman to be at the head of the surgery department at St. Bonaventure."

She snorted, rolling her eyes at him.

"I'm serious, Aud. I've watched you grown over the years to become the most talented trauma surgeon in the entire country. I never doubt you, and I'm so proud of you." He hissed at her. "You're also the most wonderful, strongest and beautiful woman I've ever met in my life and I'm feeling very lucky to call you mine. You wouldn't be the person you are today without having faced everything that happened to you."

His gaze was deeply locked with hers, and she was barely holding the tears back.

"You're also the biggest pain in the ass I've ever worked with," he teased her, making her chuckle through the sobs. "But you're my boss now, so I shouldn't say that."

"You're an ass, you know that?"

They both laughed, and they ended up looking at each other quietly. She smiled at him, and he saw all the gratitude through her wet eyes. He didn't need to say any more words. She let herself be pulled by the hand towards him and collapsed in his arms. Soon, they found themselves lying on the couch, her body snuggled up against his toned chest as he had wrapped her in his embrace. He buried his nose in her hair, kissing the top of her head, while she just listened to his soft regular heartbeat drumming against his ribcage. She closed her eyes and took the time to savor this moment.

After what felt like ages, it was finally the sound of his voice that brought her back to reality.

"Thank you."

She tilted her head back to look up at him, confused. "For what?"

He looked down and met her gaze once again.

"For telling me."

She brought her hand to his face and softly stroked his cheek.

"I didn't even ask you how was your day."

"Long and irritating," he sighed. "But it's getting better now."

He offered her a smile, the same one he was keeping only for her.

"I love you." He said in a raspy voice.

"I love you, too." She lifted herself up slightly and their lips collided in a deep and tender kiss. They pulled slightly away, but still close enough to feel their hot breath lightly brushing each other's face.

"How about we watch that old Marvel movie you've been harping on about for weeks?"

She widely grinned and kissed him once again, before murmuring against his lips.

"You know how to turn me on without a doubt."


End file.
